Some mobile computing devices, such as, for example, laptop computers, netbooks, tablets and cell phones can be configured with a data plan that provides service for mobile telephone and mobile Internet access, such as, access to electronic mail, short message service (SMS) (e.g., text messaging) and multimedia messaging service (MMS) through a cellular mobile network (e.g., a CDMA network, a GSM network, a GPRS network, an EV-DO network, an EDGE network, an LTE network, an HSPA+ network, a UMTS network, etc.). Such data plans generally require a user to set up and activate an account associated with the mobile device and pay for the service of the data plan. Such mobile computing devices typically require assignment of a telephone number to the device and activation of the mobile device with respect to the data plan by a carrier, such as, a cellular network carrier. Assignment of the telephone number to the device and activation of the device with respect to the data plan generally requires that the computing device be present on-site at the carrier's place of business to perform the activation. For example, when a user purchases a mobile telephone, the carrier will assign and activate the phone number for the mobile phone, and activate a data plan if purchased with the mobile telephone. Thus, when such a mobile computing device is purchased, for example, from a merchant that is not also a carrier, or on-line, or is purchased by one person for use by another person (e.g., as a gift), the user will need to take the computing device to the carrier's place of business for activation of the device.
Thus, it is desirable to have a system and method for activation of a mobile or portable computing device, such as, for example, a mobile computer, via a website accessible by a user without having to transport the device to a carrier's place of business.